Here we go, next chappie! I've realised I've forgotten a few things – the first song from the first chapter is 'I love you' by the Ordinary Boys, the song in the second is 'Signal Fire' by Snow Patrol and the one in this chappie is 'I'll Stand by you' by the Pretenders.

Thanks for reviewing guys, it really makes my day, and I really appreciate you all taking the time to let me know what you think :o)

Enjoy!

Mac woke up to the sounds of her phone chirping. Groaning softly under her breath, she rolled over and reached blindly towards her bedside table, her fingers searching for the offending item. Glancing at the screen, she saw she had a couple of missed calls and a voicemail message. The calls, she noted, were from Clay, and with some trepidation she dialled her voicemail as she rolled back over, unwilling to get out of bed that early on a Saturday when she had absolutely nothing to do. The irritatingly mechanical female voice told her she had 2 new messages which made her curse under her breath, they both had to be from Clay; what in the world could he want?! She had made herself pretty clear the night before, and he had been an absolute idiot.
"Sarah, its Clay," Good he sounded nervous. "I just wanted to apologise for last night, I was a jack ass. Forgive me? We were good together." She snorted and rolled her eyes. Jackass is right, she thought annoyed by his weak apology. She still couldn't believe he had stormed in and accused her of having an affair with Harm. The nerve of him! After all that they had been through. In a way though, she was relieved. Although she cared for Clay and enjoyed his company, there was no real spark between them and she had come to realise that she didn't necessarily see her future with him in it as anything else but a friend. And after last night, she wasn't even sure if she wanted him in her life as that! She deleted the message in annoyance and waited for the second one to come over the line.
"Hi Mac, its Harm." She felt her stomach flutter slightly as Harm's warm voice came over the speaker. "Just calling to see how you were doing, and to make sure we're still on for dinner tonight? Anyway let me know ninja girl, enjoy your Saturday!" Mac couldn't help but smile at his unconscious use of her nickname. He hadn't called her that for a long time. Still smiling, she dialled his number and waited for him to pick up.

"Rabb." Harm's sleep-ridden voice came over the phone. The butterflies in her stomach returned; a sleepy-sounding Harm was a sexy-sounding Harm, however much she tried to deny her feelings.

"Hi Harm, its me." She said shyly,

"Morning Mac." He replied with a grin, "How you doing?"

"I'm fine, just returning your call. I didn't mean to wake you!" Mac replied, embarrassed. She could hear a small trace of amusement in his still sleepy voice as he replied,

"No problem Marine, I don't mind being woken up by you." Mac was suddenly hugely glad that he was on the other end of the phone and so couldn't see her face, which she was sure was tomato red at the thoughts that had raced through her mind at his words.

"So I just wanted to confirm tonight? What time shall I come over? Do you want me to bring anything? Maybe dessert?" There was a low, slightly flirtatious, chuckle.

"No just yourself is fine. See you at 7?"

"See you then" Mac replied, hanging up the phone and rolling over to bury her face in her pillow, wondering if she had imagined the flirty tone in his voice. It had been so long since she had heard that particular tone of voice aimed at her, that for a moment or two she was near convinced that she had imagined it. She hated reflecting on the last couple of years; hated what she had done to their friendship, what she had done to them. What hurt the most was that she couldn't come up with a single good reason why she had acted the way she had. Still, she reminded herself with a sigh, it looks like things are getting back on track now. And we possibly have a matchmaking teen on our hands….. Mac was still confused about the whole song lyrics thing. They hadn't made any more reference to it other that the agreement that they were 'interesting' lyrics. By singing along, was he trying to tell her something?! It was just too confusing, she decided, and to think, Harm was the one that wanted operating instructions for me in Paraguay. I have to say I wouldn't mind them for him sometimes! Sighing quietly to herself, she dragged herself out of bed, and got ready to go for usual Saturday morning run.

Before Mac had a chance to knock at the door to Harm's apartment, Mattie came bounding down the corridor from the apartment she shared with Jen, dragging the aforementioned Petty Officer behind her.

"Hi Mac!" she called excitedly as they approached her.

"Hi Mattie, Jen! How are you doing?" Mac replied, exchanging a brief smile with Jen at Mattie's exuberance.

"Fine thanks Ma'am/Mac" came the response, as Mattie squeezed past Mac and opened the door to Harm's apartment, which had been open the entire time.

As she followed the two girls in, she replied in a mock stern tone of voice, "Jen, we're off duty, please call me Mac!" Jen blushed a bit, but nodded her agreement,

"Sorry, force of habit!" she replied with a slight grin.

Harm was standing in the kitchen area when the girls came in, and he looked up, smiling warmly when they all came in; happy to see them all laughing together. His gaze met Mac's and he couldn't help flashing his flyboy grin at her.

"I hope you've brought that Marine appetite with you Jarhead, we've got a lot of food to get through!" he said by way of greeting. There is was again, Mac thought, that use of old nicknames. I don't even think he realises he is doing it. Well two can play that game!

"I'll see what I can do! It smells great. Guess we're not having the meatless meatloaf then Flyboy?!" she replied teasingly. At her words, an expression that Mac hadn't seen for a long time appeared on his face for an instant. It was a slightly awed expression, similar to the one that had appeared on his face a long time ago when they had made their baby deal.

"You wound me Mac!" He replied with a grin, the expression disappearing off his face almost as quickly as it had arrived. "For that, you can chop up the salad!" Mac rolled her eyes,

"And here I was hoping I'd get to have a gossip with Mattie and Jen!"

"Nope! You get to stay in here with me!" Harm replied with an endearingly hopeful grin. Mac glanced at the other two girls, only to find them whispering and giggling to each other.

"Fine! I guess I can help you flyboy." She sighed loudly, "I guess we'll never find out what boy it is that Mattie and Jen are whispering about!" At that, Harm's gaze whipped across to the two girls who were curled up on the couch, still whispering to each other like they had been before. "B..bb.. boy???" Harm said, a nervous look on his face. "Mattie's not interested in…." he trailed off for a second before turning his attention back to her. "Right Mac, you have to go join them, and convince Mattie she's too young to be interested in boys!" Mac couldn't help the giggle that spurted out of her at the earnest and determined look on his face.

"I was kidding Flyboy!" she teased, "I don't think they are whispering about boys!" Harm didn't look convinced.

"No, go and join them anyway Mac, its my turn to cook dinner! You go and relax!" Still smirking slightly, Mac acquiesced and joined Mattie and Jen on the sofa. Leaning over, she told them about their earlier conversation and all three collapsed into giggles, glancing over at Harm, who, as Mac had imagined, was still watching them suspiciously.

"Stop laughing at me!" he jokingly pouted, "Or it will meatless meatloaf all round!"

"Shall I put some music on? Mattie said after a couple of seconds. Jen was quick to agree. Suspiciously quick it appeared to Mac, but she couldn't imagine why.

"Sure Matts." Harm replied, "Make it something good though will you?!" Exchanging an amused look with Jen, Mattie hopped off the sofa, and after a few minutes of looking through Harm's CD collection, which contained all of the CDs from his car that she had rescued earlier, she chose one with an impish grin, put it in and pressed play. She quickly returned to her seat, which gave her a clear view of the two adults' faces. She glanced at Mac as the first notes came over the speakers. Well I guess they listened to it. She thought to herself as Mac visibly stiffened, glancing quickly over at Harm with a slight blush colouring her cheeks. A quick glance at her guardian told her that he knew what she was up to. But there was something else, she noticed, he didn't look mad, in fact he was studying Mac's reaction, hope radiating in his eyes.

I love you,

You know that, don't you.

Mac glanced up again at the lyrics and met Harm's eyes nervously. A small smile flickered across her face as she realised that it had been Mattie who had organised that CD to be in the car, along with the note on the front of it. She noted the relief on Harm's face as she met his eyes again, and struck with a sudden burst of courage, hopped to her feet and headed back over to the kitchen, picking up the knife from where he had left it and calmly started chopping the cucumber which was sat on the chopping board, acting as if it was the most natural thing in the world for her to do. It gave an eerily realistic picture of comfortable family domesticity. Harm couldn't stop a small smile from playing across his lips at her action. They obviously understood each other better when they didn't speak; he realised that Mac had now understood what Mattie had been up to, and to his utter surprise, she didn't seem upset by it. If he didn't know better, he would have thought that maybe she felt the same way as him. The song ended almost as quickly as it had begun, the CD moving on to a more familiar, older song. Harm was the first to speak, cocking his eyebrow in undisguised amusement.

"Rod Stewart, Mattie? Isn't he a bit old for your tastes?!"

"Nah, Rod Stewart's great. He is a bit crusty I suppose. My mum used to listen to his music all the time. I just grew up with it I guess. Still his music's pretty good don't you think? Like that one you were playing the other night, that's one of his isn't it?" Harm gave a small chuckle,

"Actually it was originally done by the Pretenders I think. But yeah, he's done a version of it." Mac grinned teasingly at him.

"Have you been showing off your guitar skills Harm? How about a performance tonight?!" Harm blushed,

"I thought we were supposed to be working on the case?! Mattie and Jen have a huge selection of chick flicks that they are waiting to get through, they don't want to hear me play!"

"Sure we do!...sir!" Jen chimed in helpfully, exchanging an amused look with Mac and Mattie.

"Pleeeeeaaassse! Mattie all but whined at her, looking hopefully at her guardian, "You did that song so well….!" Harm groaned, it was obvious Mattie wasn't going to let him get away with not playing. Besides, a nagging voice inside of his head told him, if you sing the song she's talking about, it might open things up for you and Mac……

"Fine! Just one song though, otherwise dinner will be ruined and Mac and I really have to work on the case tonight." Harm agreed with a reluctant grin. He glanced down at the Marine standing next to him who, to his surprise, was studying him with an expression he hadn't seen before on her face; something akin to reluctant hope and wonder. "That ok with you Mac?" She jumped slightly, pulled out of her reverie by his words.

"sure, it's been ages since I heard you play." She agreed, heading over to join Mattie and Jen on the sofa. And whose fault is that?! she thought sadly, If it hadn't been for Paraguay and Singer's murder….. She shook her head, trying to shake the thought of her head; the same thought that had been nagging her for the past year. For a while she had blamed Harm for the rift between them. He was the one who had wanted to 'table' their discussion…. Again. But she had been the one to jump straight into the arms of another man…. Again. She still didn't understand how they had let their miscommunication reach the level that it had, but she still was clinging on to her hope that it wasn't too late for them. She had spent all day wondering about Clay's words the night before. "He's always been in love with you." She wasn't blind; she had seen the expression on Harm's face at those words. It had been such a shell shocked expression, that it had fuelled her hope that they were true.

"Mac?" She felt Mattie touch her arm, and forced herself to zone back into the conversation, hoping that her face wouldn't give away what her mind had been occupied by.

"Sorry Mattie, I was miles away. What were you saying?" she replied.

"I said, are you sure you don't want to ditch Harm and come and join our girlie night after dinner?!" Mattie replied with a knowing smile. Mac laughed,

"I wish I could Matts, but I afraid Harm and I really do need to work on this case." Amongst other things… Mac thought to herself. Just as she was about to wander once again down the complicated path of her thoughts about her handsome partner, said handsome partner started to play, and she was pulled away, captivated by the soft sound of his guitar.

Oh, why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don't be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
Cause I've seen the dark side too

When the night falls on you
You don't know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less

I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you

So if you're mad, get mad
Don't hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now
Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too
Well I'm a lot like you

Mac sensed his gaze on her, and forced herself to look up, meeting his intense blue eyes with her own nervous caramel-coloured ones. Beside her, Mattie and Jen were watching them, their eyes flicking from one to the other as if watching a tennis match.

When you're standing at the crossroads
And don't know which path to choose
Let me come along
Cause even if you're wrong

I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you

Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you

Harm offered her a nervously hopeful smile and she felt her insides turn to mush. She smiled shyly back at him, unable to stop the hope from bubbling up inside her.

And When the night falls on you baby
You're feeling all alone
You won't be on your own
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you

As he sang the last note, Harm tore his eyes away from Mac, and looked instead at his charge. Mattie flashed him an 'I told you so look', and tilted her head towards Mac. He rolled his eyes and strummed the last chord. His three captivated listeners applauded,

"That was great sir!" Jen was the first to speak.

"Thanks Jen," Harm replied, putting is guitar back down. "Shall we eat?"

"Sounds good, I'm starving, and Jen and I still need to eat our weight in ice cream!" Mattie replied, bouncing to her feet and heading to the table. Jen followed her and Harm quickly got up and headed to the kitchen area to retrieve the dinner. Mac stayed where she was, a slightly dazed expression on her face.

"Mac?" Harm called, "are you coming to eat ninja girl?" Mac nodded, and got to her feet, slowly making her way over to join the girls at the table.

I spose it's a cliffy, but not really. I don't think it's the best chapter in the world, it seems to have jumped around a bit but I'm hoping that you all enjoyed it and aren't too mad at me for leaving a bit of a cliffie. I just needed to stop it somewhere and here seemed the best place. Next chapter Mattie will just give them a third and final shove and we'll see where it takes them!!!!!!

All reviews welcomed:o)